Mechanical dry fly drier



Patented Sept. 21, 1954 UNITED' STATES PATENT OFFICE MECHANICAL DRY FLY DRIER Louie O. Tosi, Weed, Calif. Application July 24, 1953, Serial No. 370,203

2 claims. (C1. 34- 16-1) This invention relates to iishermens equipment, and more particularly to a drying device for drying nies.

The main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved device for drying lures, said device being simple in construction, being easy to operate, and enabling a wet lure to'be shaken dry in a rapid and effective manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanical drier for fishing lures, said drier being inexpensive to fabricate, being rugged in construction, and being compact in s1ze.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical cross sectional view taken through an improved lure drying device constructed in accordance with the present invention, said view being taken on the line I-I of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse cross sectional view taken through the y drying device of the present invention on the line 2--2 of Figure l.

Referring to the drawings, the lure drying device is designated generally at II and comprises a rectangular housing I2 provided with the connecting eye member I3, whereby the lure drying device may be suspended from a strap I4 so that it may be readily carried by the fisherman. The top wall I6 of the housing I2 is provided with a central slot I1 through which projects an internally threaded sleeve member I8, said sleeve member being secured at its bottom end to a transverse shaft member I9 rotatably mounted in suitable bearing elements 20, 29 on the front and rear walls of the housing, as shown in Figure 2. Threadeclly engaged in the top portion of the sleeve I8 is the shank 2| provided with the opposing resilient clamping arms 22 and 23, a clamping screw 24 extending through the arm 23 and being threadedly engaged with the arm 22, whereby tightening of the screw 24 causes the arms 22 and 23 to be drawn together. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the hook portion 25 of a lure 26 may be engaged between the free end portions of the resilient arms 22 and 23 and may be clampingly secured between the arms 22A and 23 by tightening the screw 24. In this manner the lure 26 may be secured to the pivoted sleeve member I8 in a position extending perpendicular to the plane of rotation of said sleeve member.

Designated at 21 is a transverse shaft rotatably mounted in the housing I2 below the shaft I9.

2 Secured on the shaft 21 is the ratchet wheel 29 having the ratchet teeth 29. Secured to the lower end of the sleeve member I9 in the plane of the ratchet wheel 29 are the arcuate arms 39, 39, said arms being engageable with the toothed periphery of the ratchet wheel 2B in the manner illustrated in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 1, counter-clockwise rotation of the ratchet wheel 28 causes the teeth 29 thereof to successively engage the bottom surface of an arm 39, causing the sleeve member I8 to be rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure l, after which another tooth 29 of the ratchet wheel 28 engages the other arm 30, causing the sleeve member I8 to be driven counter-clockwise. Thus, when the ratchet wheel 28 rotates continuously in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 1, the sleeve member I8 will be oscillated on its pivotal axis at a rate depending upon the speed of rotation of the shaft 21 of the ratchet wheel.

The shaft 21 is driven by a conventional clockwork mechanism including the clock `spring 3l which is mounted on a shaft 32 and which may be wound up by means of a handle 33 secured to the external portion of the shaft 32, as shown in Figure 2. The shaft 32 has secured thereon the large gear 34 which meshes with a small gear 35 mounted on a rotatable shaft 36 the shaft 36 being rotatably mounted transversely between the front and rear walls of the housing I2. Secured on the shaft 36 is a large gear 31 which meshes with a smaller gear 38 secured on the shaft 21. Thus, when the spring 3I unwinds,

the shaft 21 is driven at a rapid rate and oscil lates the sleeve member I8 in the manner above described.

Designated at 39 is a catch arm which is pivoted at 49 in the upper corner portion of the housing I2, the arm 39 being provided with the externally projecting handle portion 4I which projects outwardly through a slot 42 formed in the side wall of housing I2. The arm 39 is biased downwardly toward a position wherein it lockingly engages the sleeve member I8 by a leaf y spring 43 secured at one end to the top wall I6 of housing I2 and having its opposite end portion engaging the top surface of the arm 39. As shown in Figure 1, the arm 39 normally engages the sleeve member I8 and prevents oscillation of said sleeve member. When the arm 39 is rotated clockwise, as viewed in Figure 1, as by pressing downwardly on the handle element 4I, the sleeve member I8 is released and will be oscillated by the action of the ratchet wheel 28 on the arms 3 30, 30, as the spring 3l unwinds, as above described.

Therefore, to use the device, the lure 26 is secured between the resilient clamping arms 22, 23 by tightening the screw 24, in the manner above described, with the lure arranged in a plane normal to the plane of oscillation of sleeve member IB. The clock spring 3| may then ce wound Yup by means of the handle 33, as above described. fhefhandle member 4l Iis then pressed downwardly to Arelease the Sleeve member Td whereby the spring unwinds and vigorously oscillates the sleeve member i8, causing the lure E25 to be shaken laterally in opposite lvdirections, whereby the moisture is shaken off. the lure. Ordinarily, only a very short period of vibration of the lure is required to dry 1the lure Asuiiiciently for use.

While a specic embodiment of an "improved fly drying device has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will 2Abe understood that various modifications within the spirit of 'th'e Yinvention imay occur to ithose 'skilled in fthe -ar-t. Therefore, it is intended -th'at Lno limitations be placed on the I-inventio'ri except las defined by `the Ascope fof the appendedfclaims.

What is claimed is: 1. Aflydr-yihg devicecomprising-support rotatably mounted fon said "support 1and having ftatio'n of Y'said `:ratchet wheel, springedriv'en manually windable driving means mounted on said support and being drivingly coupled to said ratchet wheel, and a manually releasable catch lever pivoted on said support and being at times lockingly engageable with said member to prevent said member from rocking. l

2. A y drying device comprising a housing, a member pivotally mounted in and projecting through a wall of said housing, means on said member for clampingly engagingia'y, aplurality of Vprojections on said member, a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted in said housing and having teeth intermittentIy engageable with said projections to rock said member responsive to rotation of said ratchet wheel, spring-driven manually windable driving means mounted in said .housing land being drivingly coupled to said ratchet wheel, a manually releasable catch lever pivoted in and projecting through a wall of said housing and being at times lockingly engageable withsaid lmerribe'r to prevent saidzmember from rocking, "and springkmeans 'imouritedin said housing and engaging said catch lever Fahd biasing said -lever toward ldok-n'g engagement 'with s'aid ymember. 

